Romantic Southern Rock and Roll Wedding

Matt and Lauren don’t have images from their wedding. It’s a long story, but instead of letting it get them down, they are “re-doing” their wedding photographs on their anniversary each year so they can document how they grow together. What a neat idea, don’t you think? Enter Mylyn Wood Photography who helped them create this romantic southern rock and roll wedding styled shoot and the rest is history!

From the photographer:From the moment I met Matt and Lauren I knew there was something special about them. They’re the kind of people who can put a positive spin on anything. They had hired me to do an anniversary session and there I learned that they didn’t have a single photo from their photographer from their original wedding day! I was heartbroken for them! But being who they are they laughed it off. She joked that it was the perfect excuse to dress him in a tux every year and play the bride again. I couldn’t stop thinking about it even months later.

Most of the time when I’m inspired with an idea it’s normally inspired by people themselves instead of current wedding trends. After months of this idea nagging at me I approached the couple with it and released a huge sigh of relief when they readily agreed! I put a lot of thought and precision into their details and wanted to make sure every single one was representative of the two of them as a couple. Matt and Lauren are both originally from Nashville and are avid fans of Johnny Cash. I really wanted to let their roots and tastes inspire the entire shoot. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t your typical “Southern Charm,” style because Matt and Lauren are anything but typical. Instead I went for a twist on the traditional Southern Belle with a touch of Rock and Roll. I choose a vintage lace and silk dress for the bride to emulate the south and adorned the look with jewelry from her own Grandmother’s personal box.

Taking a hint from Scarlett O’Hara we tied a bonnie blue, velvet ribbon on the gown to give it a luxurious, country feel. Adding to the luxury I ordered deep, red velvet roses, uncleaned and wild for her bouquet. I also highlighted her tattoo that gave the coordinates of her hometown of Nashville.The groom himself is an actual squire for Jack Daniel’s Distillery. We showcased the deed and decided on shots of whiskey for the guest’s as a nod to his family traditions. I made sure to incorporate his love of cigars (a scent he and Lauren both associate with Tennessee) and his grandmother’s handkerchief into his look.

On their first anniversary Lauren purchased a special bottle of Jack Daniels with an engraving to her husband on the side. They share a drink together for every special occasion in their lives and only drink from the bottle together. We included this new tradition with an old one and “buried the bourbon,” a few weeks before the shoot and dug it up (and took a shot!) just before we started. The invitations and décor highlighted their love for Johnny Cash. For the invitation, menus and response cards I chose a design that had a classic poster font similar to his concert posters. I also made the linen backdrop with their favorite Cash quote, “Because You’re Mine.” Everything was dripping with the “down south,” vibe and just the right amount of traditional southern belle.In the end I felt like it described them perfectly and a bit more determined to visit the south.

From the client:I first met Mylyn when I hired her to do an anniversary session for us. We tragically lost our original wedding photos (a whole other story) but we were determined not to let it put a damper on things for us. We vowed to “re-do,” our wedding photos every year on our anniversary so we could see how we grew together in happiness instead of dwelling on the negative. We were new to the area but had been recommended by almost the entire island. Everyone here raves about her. She was so kind and thoughtful from the very beginning and really helped us relax and enjoy ourselves. We fell in love with the photos and became close friends afterward.

Fast-forward to a year later and I got a phone call from her. She told me that she had never forgotten our story and that she was wondering if we’d be open to letting her style a wedding shoot around us personally and the wedding we would have had if we had not been so rushed. We quickly married before my husband was stationed states away for the Marines so it was very simple and last minute. I was so touched that after all this time she remembered and even more moved that she wanted to base the entire style of the session on us personally.

We set up a meeting and just casually talked about our lives in Tennessee, childhood memories, when we first started dating, etc. It felt like we were old friends having a normal conversation I almost forgot we were being interviewed for inspiration. She knows us both well and I completely trusted her to create something beautiful but what she came up with blew me away. She was able to embody the spirit of the South, our family traditions and a touch of our rock and roll side all at the same time. I will treasure these photos forever and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.